Uneven start leads to lifelong bond

Joan and Richard Kincaid have come a long way since they first met. And they hope the way goes on longer yet.

Joan Keiser and Richard Kincaid met when they were in the same homeroom at South BendÂ?s Lincoln School. He noticed her, but she barely noticed him.

Â?When youÂ?re in grade school, you have a lot more interests than boys,Â? Joan says. Richard agrees, Â?We werenÂ?t the best of friends. She just wasnÂ?t into boys.Â?

Eventually she went to Riley High School, and he went to Central High School to take trade math and shop class. When they were juniors in high school, Richard recognized Joan at a roller-skating rink near his home where she had come with a friend.

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He rolled out and grabbed her, not giving in to her protests. Â?I never did let go, either,Â? Richard says.

The South Bend couple celebrated their 60th anniversary on Jan. 1 with a family brunch at Tippecanoe Place Restaurant in South Bend. They have three sons, five grandsons and one great-grandson.

Staying married for six decades wasnÂ?t hard, the Kincaids say. They knew at the wedding they were in it for life.

Â?You work together,Â? she explains. Â?You have to. My husband worked. He worked out of town a lot. You just assume all your duties. ItÂ?s kind of been a 50-50. I donÂ?t think your wants were as great as they are nowadays.Â?

Richard says, Â?I came back from the service. I got a job and got married. I figured that was it. Once I was married, I was married.Â?

The wedding date was RichardÂ?s choice. Joan wanted to wait for a June wedding, but now she figures itÂ?s not such a bad way to start the year. He wanted an anniversary as easy to remember as New YearÂ?s Day: Â?You canÂ?t forget that,Â? he says.

Â?It was cold, and it was snowy,Â? Joan recalls. Â?My father said it spoiled everyoneÂ?s New YearÂ?s Eve Â? they couldnÂ?t go out and celebrate. I think he was kidding.

Â?We didnÂ?t take much of a honeymoon. We flew to Chicago and went to see several plays they had up there. We went shopping. Back then, it was hard to buy radios and things like that. They had more in Chicago than they did here. You didnÂ?t have television 60 years ago.Â?

Their first son came after six years of marriage. When their youngest son was about 11, Joan went to work at Cole Associates in South Bend, now DLZ Corp., to help pay for college. She stayed for 25 years.

Â?When they got through school, I enjoyed my job so much I kept on working,Â? Joan says.

She doesnÂ?t mind the all-male offspring, now in the third generation.

Â?I always wanted a boy,Â? she says. Â?I got them, and I thought it was great. IÂ?m not disappointed. I have very nice daughters-in-law, and I have a granddaughter-in-law.Â?

She also has an 11-year-old grandson whoÂ?s planning for her to be at his college graduation. Â?I hope I can make it,Â? she says. Â?ThereÂ?s nothing like grandchildren.Â?